diff --git a/src/main/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/data/cpe/Index.java b/src/main/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/data/cpe/Index.java
index b3c3d9254..20b9b1c69 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/data/cpe/Index.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/data/cpe/Index.java
@@ -70,14 +70,7 @@ public class Index extends AbstractIndex {
      */
     public File getDataDirectory() throws IOException {
         final String fileName = Settings.getString(Settings.KEYS.CPE_INDEX);
-        File exePath = FileUtils.getDataDirectory(fileName, Index.class);
-        if (exePath.getName().toLowerCase().endsWith(".jar")) {
-            exePath = exePath.getParentFile();
-        } else {
-            exePath = new File(".");
-        }
-        File path = new File(exePath.getCanonicalFile() + File.separator + fileName);
-        path = new File(path.getCanonicalPath());
+        File path = FileUtils.getDataDirectory(fileName, Index.class);
         if (!path.exists()) {
             if (!path.mkdirs()) {
                 throw new IOException("Unable to create CPE Data directory");
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/data/nvdcve/CveDB.java b/src/main/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/data/nvdcve/CveDB.java
index d6e91fcb2..cd517f91c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/data/nvdcve/CveDB.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/data/nvdcve/CveDB.java
@@ -408,16 +408,7 @@ public class CveDB {
      */
     public static File getDataDirectory() throws IOException {
         final String fileName = Settings.getString(Settings.KEYS.CVE_INDEX);
-        File exePath = FileUtils.getDataDirectory(fileName, CveDB.class);
-
-        if (exePath.getName().toLowerCase().endsWith(".jar")) {
-            exePath = exePath.getParentFile();
-        } else {
-            exePath = new File(".");
-        }
-        File path = new File(exePath.getCanonicalFile() + File.separator + fileName);
-        path = new File(path.getCanonicalPath());
-
+        File path = FileUtils.getDataDirectory(fileName, CveDB.class);
         if (!path.exists()) {
             if (!path.mkdirs()) {
                 throw new IOException("Unable to create NVD CVE Data directory");
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/utils/FileUtils.java b/src/main/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/utils/FileUtils.java
index 9cc82b4a2..1949b8d83 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/utils/FileUtils.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/utils/FileUtils.java
@@ -83,10 +83,18 @@ public final class FileUtils {
     public static File getDataDirectory(String configuredFilePath, Class clazz) throws IOException {
         File file = new File(configuredFilePath);
         if (file.exists() && file.isDirectory() && file.canWrite()) {
-            return file;
+             return new File(file.getCanonicalPath());
         } else {
-            String filePath = clazz.getProtectionDomain().getCodeSource().getLocation().getPath();
-            return new File(URLDecoder.decode(filePath, "UTF-8"));
+            final String filePath = clazz.getProtectionDomain().getCodeSource().getLocation().getPath();
+            final String decodedPath = URLDecoder.decode(filePath, "UTF-8");
+            File exePath = new File(decodedPath);
+            if (exePath.getName().toLowerCase().endsWith(".jar")) {
+                exePath = exePath.getParentFile();
+            } else {
+                exePath = new File(".");
+            }
+            File path = new File(exePath.getCanonicalFile() + File.separator + configuredFilePath);
+            return new File(path.getCanonicalPath());
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/data/cpe/BaseIndexTestCase.java b/src/test/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/data/cpe/BaseIndexTestCase.java
index 475d1287b..a61e11ebd 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/data/cpe/BaseIndexTestCase.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/data/cpe/BaseIndexTestCase.java
@@ -58,15 +58,7 @@ public abstract class BaseIndexTestCase {
 
     protected static File getDataDirectory() throws IOException {
         String fileName = Settings.getString(Settings.KEYS.CPE_INDEX);
-        File exePath = FileUtils.getDataDirectory(fileName, Index.class);
-        if (exePath.getName().toLowerCase().endsWith(".jar")) {
-            exePath = exePath.getParentFile();
-        } else {
-            exePath = new File(".");
-        }
-        File path = new File(exePath.getCanonicalFile() + File.separator + fileName);
-        path = new File(path.getCanonicalPath());
-        return path;
+        return FileUtils.getDataDirectory(fileName, Index.class);
     }
 
     public static void ensureIndexExists() throws Exception {
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/data/nvdcve/BaseDBTestCase.java b/src/test/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/data/nvdcve/BaseDBTestCase.java
index f80681551..2c579de86 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/data/nvdcve/BaseDBTestCase.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/data/nvdcve/BaseDBTestCase.java
@@ -49,15 +49,7 @@ public abstract class BaseDBTestCase extends TestCase {
 
     protected static File getDataDirectory() throws IOException {
         String fileName = Settings.getString(Settings.KEYS.CVE_INDEX);
-        File exePath = FileUtils.getDataDirectory(fileName, Index.class);
-        if (exePath.getName().toLowerCase().endsWith(".jar")) {
-            exePath = exePath.getParentFile();
-        } else {
-            exePath = new File(".");
-        }
-        File path = new File(exePath.getCanonicalFile() + File.separator + fileName);
-        path = new File(path.getCanonicalPath());
-        return path;
+        return FileUtils.getDataDirectory(fileName, Index.class);
     }
 
     public static void ensureDBExists() throws Exception {